New Law Shifts Remediation From College to High School

Legislation signed into law by Gov. Mike Pence will require high schools throughout Indiana do a better job of determining whether their students are ready to go college.

The new law, House Enrolled Act 1005, was prompted in part by research that shows thousands of high school graduates, including those who graduated with academic honors, had to take basic remediation courses in math and English as college freshman.

Starting next school year, high schools will have start identifying 11th graders who are at risk of failing their senior-year graduation exams or need remedial classes before beginning college work for credit. The law also requires high schools to start providing extra help to those students in their senior year.

The law isn’t just aimed at students who know they’ll go to college. It’s also intended to reduce the number of students allowed to graduate from high school without having to pass graduation exams. It compels high schools to test those students in their junior year to assess if they have the basic math and English skills to go into the workforce, and if not, to provide remedial help to them as well.